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The University of Minnesota will lead a five-year study in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district aimed at researching ways nurses and community health advocates can help curb obesity. The study, to begin in 2014, will include about 200 student volunteers who either are obese or at risk of being obese. The students will participate in an after-school program with their families.

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Students in the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district in Minnesota will have more access to mental-health services, thanks to a decision to add four more therapists to schools this year. In partnership with an emotional-health service, the district has brought in 13 therapists to provide on-campus therapy services for a range of issues, including depression, adjustment disorders, anxiety and trauma. Students can access the services before, during and after school.

The Gifted and Talented Institute offered by the Burnsville–Eagan–Savage school district in Minnesota is one example of the changing face of summer school. More schools are offering programs for enrichment instead of remediation, said Gary Huggins, CEO of the Baltimore-based National Summer Learning Association. "Summer is a break from school, but it doesn't have to be a break from learning," he said.

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin visited an elementary school in Berkeley County on Wednesday to sign the Feed to Achieve Act into law. The goal is for the law to ensure that all students have access to free breakfasts and lunches at school throughout the year. Tomblin said schools that already have adopted such universal, free meal programs have seen improvements in student achievement.

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District in Minnesota offers free, 12-week adult education classes to bilingual, often immigrant, adults to become paraprofessionals for English-language learners. The class focuses on preparing the future aides to pass the paraprofessional exam but also covers classroom scenarios, while also diversifying the teaching workforce. "We needed a way to make the content in the mainstream classroom accessible for our English language learners," said curriculum director Kathy Funston.

A study of more than 12,000 students in grades 8 to 10 showed that those who live in neighborhoods that allow them to walk and bike safely and provide access to sports fields and parks are less likely to become obese. "Perceptions of neighborhood safety were one of the strongest predictors of physical activity," the lead author said.